Registration for Pender Music programs
is underway - 
click  here for more information!

Pender’s  annual music program for children runs from September through June.   Our program is “graded” in that we have separate groups for specific ages and abilities.  This allows the children to learn about God and their place in His world in a way that they can understand and embrace.  Music concepts are taught at a comfortable pace yet present challenges for our budding musicians.

There are seven children’s choirs grouped into three categories:

Preschool and Kindergarten:      In Cherub Choir, our little songbirds learn how to sing and engage in music games and activities.   Cherub Bells are for the kindergartners; children begin to learn the basic concepts of music and bell ringing using small, brightly colored desk-top bells.  The Cherub Choir and Cherub Bells sing and ring about 5-6 times each year during the Sunday morning 11:00am service, and also participate in the annual Palm Sunday children’s processional.   The Cherub Bells participate in the annual Christmas handbell program that takes place in early December

Cherub Choir

  • Who:                     4 years through Kinder
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 5:00PM
  • Where:                 Preschool Music Room – Room 125
  • Directed By:       Claire Sax

Cherub Bells

  • Who:                     Children in Kindergarten only
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 5:30PM
  • Where:                 Preschool Music Room – Room 125
  • Directed By:       Claire Sax

Lower Elementary (Grades 1 and 2):       The music learned and presented by the Asbury Choir goes beyond the preschool songs and simple music concepts.  Children in this group learn mostly by “rote” but will begin to read some easy music by the end of the year.   The Asbury Choir sings about 6-7 times during the school year at either the 8:15am or the 11:00am traditional worship services.   The Asbury Choir also teams up with the older elementary children to present a Christmas Eve children’s program, the Palm Sunday children’s processional, and the children’s spring musical.    In handbell class, the Rainbow Chimers use tone chimes, and learn the beginning music concepts of rhythm and note reading.  Chimes are used in place of real handbells so the younger kids can lift them without injury and ring them properly.  The Rainbow Chimers ring several times each year and participate in the annual Christmas handbell program that takes place in early December.

Asbury Choir

  • Who:                     1st and 2nd grade
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 5:15PM
  • Where:                 Cornerstone Class – Room 215
  • Directed By:        Nicole Gunderson

Rainbow Chimers

  • Who:                     1st and 2nd grade
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 5:45PM
  • Where:                 Cornerstone Class – Room 215
  • Directed By:       Nicole Gunderson

Upper  Elementary (Grades 3-6):              The Wesley Choir is the busiest of all the children’s choirs.  At this level, the children are called upon to sing AND be true leaders in worship.     Practice begins with vocal warm-ups.  The kids then delve into the next two or three anthems they are preparing for worship.  They learn more complicated rhythms and text, and they are exposed to different styles of music.   At the end of rehearsal, we share our “joys and concerns” and pray for each other.  The Wesley Choir sings 8-9 times annually at either the 8:15 or 11:00am traditional worship services.  The Wesley Choir also participates in special services and events such as singing at nursing homes or homeless shelters, and in the Northern Virginia Chorister’s Guild Children’s Festival.   They take the lead in preparing the annual Christmas Eve children’s program and the annual children’s spring musical.   The Genesis Ringers (grades 3 and 4) is the first children’s group to learn to ring with “real” handbells!   In this group the children hone their music reading and ringing skills and learn some fun handbell techniques.  The members of the Jubilation Ringers (grades 5-6) have been ringing for at least two years, and are presented with more challenging (but a lot of fun!) music.  Both the Genesis and Jubilation Ringers ring about 4-5 times during Sunday morning worship and participate in the annual Christmas handbell program that takes place in early December.

Wesley Choir

  • Who:                     3rd through 6th grade
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 5:15PM
  • Where:                 Choir Room
  • Directed By:       Theresa Carpenter

Genesis Ringers

  • Who:                     3rd and 4th grade
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 4:45PM
  • Where:                 Chapel
  • Directed By:       Nicole Gunderson

Jubilation Ringers

  • Who:                     5th and 6th grade
  • When:                  Practice on Thursdays at 4:45PM
  • Where:                 Sanctuary
  • Directed By:       Theresa Carpenter


Please Join Us!  Questions?
Call Theresa Carpenter or Nicole Gunderson at (703) 278-8023
Contact the Music Ministry